Paths Of Survival
by Stegro88
Summary: Madison Vaith awoke alone. She heard no sounds from the crew. Looking outside her quarters, she saw no crew. What was going on? No set update schedule. Probably about every 2 weeks or so. No promises.
1. Madison I

**Stargate FanFic**

 **Paths of Survival**

 **Madison I**

Her head hurt. That was the first thought that crossed Madison's mind as she woke up. She was sore all over and had no idea how long she had been unconscious for. Looking around, she could tell she was still in her quarters aboard the Hippolyta. What she also noticed as that she was sprawled on the floor instead of her rack and that the only light in the room came from the emergency light in the ceiling. That was not a good sign.

Pulling herself to her feet, Madison cringed as her head spun wildly before settling down enough to allow her to try and focus. Her quarters were trashed with almost the entire contents of the room thrown about all over the floor. A part of her wanted to clear it all up but she knew she had more important things to do. Picking up her t-shirt, she put it on and then grabbed her uniform blouse. Holding onto it, she carefully moved over to the door without stepping on any of her stuff and tried her door. Luckily, being on emergency power meant that the door locks had disengaged and Madison was able to open her door.

Stepping out into the passageway, Madison was confused by what she saw; or rather, what she didn't see. In this kind of situation, she expected to see members of the crew moving around trying to fix things. Hell, at the very least she expected one of the marines aboard to come and find her. But there was nothing. Except for some discarded papers and other items, all lit by the emergency lights, the passageway was empty.

"Hello!" Madison called out carefully, listening to her voice reverberate off the walls. "Can anyone hear me?" But there was no reply. Looking around at the empty hallway, Madison tried to think of what to do. After a moment, she realised that if there was anyone alive then they were probably hurt. If they were hurt, then they would be in or headed to Infirmary. Looking around a final time, Madison donned her uniform blouse and began to make her way through the ship.

Her trip didn't turn up any survivors and as she came up to the Infirmary, Madison didn't see anyone inside either. The knot of worry that had been slowly forming in the pit of her stomach exploded in size as she realised that she might, in fact, be alone on the ship. Panicking for a second, Madison took a deep breath and focused on her training; she needed to look to her own survival. Her head still ached and Madison decided to start with that; the Infirmary would have Tylenol.

Entering the Infirmary, Madison was confronted by sheer anarchy. It looked like half the contents of the room had been taken out and thrown all over the floor. Carefully wading through the strewn medical supplies, Madison began her search.

"Greetings," a voice called out. Madison had jumped halfway to the ceiling before she realised what they had said. Turning around, she found a woman sitting on the ground with her back resting up against a cupboard. "I thought I was the only one."

"Ah, no," Madison replied. Looking over the woman, she saw that she wasn't wearing a uniform. "You're the Tok'ra, aren't you? Sorry, your name escapes me at the moment. I have a killer headache."

"That is quite alright," the woman assured Madison. "My name is Cora."

"2nd lieutenant Madison Vaith. United States Marine Corps," Madison responded. "But given the current situation, Madison is fine."

"Madison," Cora repeated. "Do you have any other injuries besides your headache?"

"I'm sore all over, but nothing seems broken or torn," Madison answered, crouching down in front of Cora. "How about you?"

"I was not so fortunate," Cora said. "I have two broken legs, a broken left arm and collar bone, internal organ damage and a broken back. Dayana is trying to heal it now."

"Dayana?" Madison wondered before the answer came to her. "Right, your symbiote. How's it coming along?"

"Not well," Cora stated succinctly. "I believe that I have suffered injuries too great for Dayana to heal. Dayana, of course, disagrees."

"Umm, wouldn't she know what she is capable of?" Madison wondered. "She is the symbiote after all."

"She is also quite stubborn," Cora pointed out. "And she sometimes has trouble facing the reality of the situation."

"Our situation at the moment is complicated," Madison observed, gesturing around the Infirmary to make her point.

"Indeed it is," Cora agreed. "However, mine is less so. I am dying and Dayana is only causing harm to herself in delaying it. And don't deny it."

"Ah, I wasn't going to say anything," Madison said.

"My apologies. My injuries are beginning to take their toll," Cora explained as a shiver ran through her body. "I was speaking to Dayana."

"Oh, right," Madison said, kicking herself mentally. "What did she say back?"

"That I should stop talking and save my strength," Cora replied with a chuckle.

"Sounds like sound medical advice," Madison noted. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not unless you know how to correct the damage to internal organs and realign and repair a broken spine," Cora stated, coughing a little at the end.

"A little bit out of my field of expertise," Madison said softly. "Actually a long way out of it. But I can try to go and find someone who does know."

"If there was anyone else alive then they would head here and the doctor was here when the explosion happened," Cora explained. "As they are not here now, then we must assume that they are with everyone else; wherever that may be."

"Fair point," Madison acknowledged, glancing around the room.

"There is one thing you can do though," Cora said, drawing Madison's attention back with how her tone had changed.

"What is that?" Madison asked hesitantly, suddenly concerned about what she might be asked.

"You could become Dayana's new host," Cora requested.

"What?" Madison exclaimed in shock and surprise. She had not been expecting that.

"When I die, which we have established is a practical certainty at this stage; Dayana will need a new host or she will die not long after I do," Cora explained. "And that cannot be allowed to happen under any circumstances if at all possible."

"Why?" Madison asked, curious about what Cora meant.

"You would find out if you became Dayana's host. I would not burden you with the knowledge otherwise," Cora said. "It would not be fair."

"Not exactly fair now that you have said that either," Madison pointed out, her mind reeling from the possibilities. Could she do it?

"It would be an experience unlike any other," Cora offered. "And it has its benefits."

"I'm sure it does," Madison agreed. "I just don't know if I can do it is all."

"You would be saving a life," Cora justified. "Perhaps even more than that."

"It is a lot to ask of someone," Madison argued.

"I understand your hesitation. I have dealt with the same difficulties before my blending with Dayana," Cora sympathised.

"What made you decide to become a host?" Madison asked.

"I came to the conclusion that as a host, I could do more for my people. Do more for them than I otherwise could," Cora related. "Is that not why you became a Marine?"

"I never knew about the stargate or any of this," Madison revealed. "I became a Marine mostly because of my father I guess. He was a marine and I wanted to be just like him."

"A noble sentiment," Cora said. "Tell me then, what would your father do in this situation?"

"I have no idea," Madison admitted. "He never had to deal with stargates or space travel or aliens. No offence."

"None taken," Cora said. "Finding out there is so much more out there than what you have ever known can be truly daunting."

"You can say that again," Madison muttered as she looked at the deck beneath her feet.

"I guess it boils down to a simple question. One to which I hope we both agree have the same answer," Cora said, coughing again as she appealed to the marine officer. "How far would you go to save a life?"

"I would go as far as…" Madison's words died in her throat as she contemplated what she was saying. If the life was innocent and worth saving, then she would go as far as she needed to to preserve that life. The situation she now found herself didn't change that. "Alright, I'll do it. I'll become Dayana's new host."

"You have my utmost thanks. And though she may not say so at first, I can tell you that you have Dayana's as well," Cora expressed gratefully, her words being accompanied by a dull wheezing. "My time grows short."

"What do I need to do?" Madison asked, knowing herself that they did not have long.

"Come, sit down beside me," Cora said, nodding at the ground next to her. Madison hastened to do so. "Good, good," Cora said once Madison was positioned. "Now kiss me."

"What!" Madison exclaimed in surprise. She wasn't deadset against the idea for various reasons but the directive still shocked her.

"Tok'ra symbiotes find visible implantation scars unsightly," Cora explained. "Therefore they enter the body through the back of the throat. The simplest and safest way of passing Dayana from me to you is for you to kiss me. During the kiss, Dayana will leave me and join you. Once the transfer has been completed, I will be free to seek peace."

"What will happen once Dayana enters my body?" Madison asked, wanting to have an idea of what to expect.

"She will coil herself around your spine and attach herself to you. Then the blending can begin," Cora explained. "During the blending, you and Dayana will share memories. Do not be surprised if you are overwhelmed by Dayana's; she has a lot of them. It is also likely that when you regain a sense of your surroundings, Dayana will have control of your body. Try not to panic when this happens. It is just because she can process your memories faster than you can process all of hers. She will probably start on healing your body and feeling how it is different to mine."

"Great," Madison deadpanned, still not holy on-board with the idea of sharing her head but knowing that it was the right thing to do. "So, uh, when do we do this?"

"In a moment," Cora responded, her voice hesitant and slow. "I wish to speak with my dear friend one, last time."

"Take your time," Madison said, understanding that goodbyes were hard. She passed the time looking around the room, trying to locate the cabinet that would hold Tylenol.

"We are ready," Cora announced, bringing Madison back to the here and now.

"Right," Madison said, shifting in her place as if readying herself.

"I wish to thank you one last time for this," Cora stuttered out. "Without you, we would both die. Now, I will live on within you."

"You're welcome," Madison replied. Cora smiled before struggling to push herself forward. Understanding Cora's intent, Madison leaned over and pressed her lips to Cora's.

Nothing happened at first and Madison began to wonder if maybe something was wrong. Then suddenly Cora's tongue invaded her mouth and Madison instinctively returned the kiss; her own tongue fighting for dominance. As what was actually happening dawned on her, Madison felt something large and warm enter her mouth. This was quickly followed by a sharp pain at the back of her throat and the feeling of something penetrating her. Abruptly, Madison's head was filled with things she had never seen; with feelings that she had never felt. As the tide of memories grew vaster, one memory seemed to stick out above all the others.

Dayana, Daughter of Egeria.


	2. Dayana I

**Stargate FanFic**

 **Paths of Survival**

 **Dayana I**

Dayana opened her host's eyes; her eyes now. She had finished her side of the memories but could tell that Madison required more time. Looking around the Infirmary with new eyes, Madison noted that they were a little weaker than Cora's were. But she would take care of that in due time. Right now, she had other plans as she turned her head to look at her former host; a look that told her she was just in time.

"It worked?" Cora gasped out softly, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

" **The blending was successful** ," Dayana confirmed. " **Is there anything I can do for you**?"

"I am afraid, my friend, that I am beyond all help," Cora whispered. "But now that I now you are safe, I can be at peace."

" **You have been my dearest companion** ," Dayana said to Cora as she watched her former host succumb to her injuries. As Cora's head rolled to the side and life left her body, Dayana reached up and closed her eyes. " **Be at peace. Your fight is over** ," Dayana proclaimed as she did this. " **But I fear that safe is a relative concept here**."

Leaning her head back, Dayana decided to take a moment and look over her new host body. First up, her host had a concussion, which she dealt with promptly. Thenit was on to augmentation. Her eyes could be easily improved for starters. Her musculature was well developed but could also be improved or strengthened. Her skin could be tightened and strengthened. The list went on. The Tok'ra may not be Goa'uld but that did not prevent some of them wanting to have physically attractive hosts.

After setting things in motion, Dayana climbed to her feet. Sitting there was doing nothing but wasting time and the list of things that needed to be done was long. Drawing on both her own memories and Madison's, Dayana made her way through the ship, heading first for the Main Armoury.

The ship, the Tau'ri frigate 'Hippolyta', was quite the spartan ship. Unlike the Goa'uld ships she had been on, this ship was undecorated. Its design reflected its purpose; it was a vessel built for battle.

With main power off, the ship's elevators would not be working so Dayana directed herself towards the nearest emergency ladder tube. Locating it, she opened it and descended down to Deck 3, the next one down.

It was the same scene all over again but with a different background. Emergency lighting, some debris in the passageways but no signs of life. There weren't even any bodies. It was disconcerting. Reflexively shaking her head, Dayana proceeded along the starboard passage to the Main Armoury. Like the majority of doors on the ship, the lock had disengaged and she easily gained entry.

Inside, she was confronted by a veritable onslaught of weapons, ammunition, explosives and other tactical gear that Madison's memories identified even as her eyes scoured the room. Drawing upon a memory of a man, Madison's father, teaching her to shoot, Dayana moved over to a case that held a Heckler & Koch 417A2 battle rifle.

" _Not a good choice_ ," Madison's voice thought. Dayana was impressed; she thought Madison would have taken another hour to assimilate her memories.

" _I see you have recovered_ ," Dayana replied, pausing in her actions to procure a weapon.

" _Not fully. My head still feels like it is going to explode_ ," Madison said. " _What's happened_?"

" _That is your first question_?" Dayana asked in surprise. " _After going through all my memories, you don't have anything else you would rather ask_?"

" _I have plenty of other things that I would rather ask about but now is not the time to play twenty question_ ," Madison pointed out. " _We have to get a weapon, search the ship for any survivors and then find out where we are. You have noticed the incline in the deck, haven't you_?"

" _I have_ ," Dayana confirmed. " _I also noticed that we are standing_."

" _I don't follow_ ," Madison said.

" _When the ship lost main power, Artifical Gravity remained active. But if it was still active, we wouldn't feel the incline in the deck. Which means it isn't active now. But we are still able to stand_ ," Dayana laid out.

" _Which means we are experiencing gravity from another source_ ," Madison observed, putting the puzzle together. " _You reckon it's a planet_?"

" _Or a moon_ ," Dayana added. " _It is something natural, not artificial_."

" _We will need to be careful_ ," Madison said, stating the obvious. " _We have atmosphere at the moment but who's to say that we aren't shallow breathing. We'll need to check what outside looks like_."

" _We can check that from the Bridge during our search_ ," Dayana proposed. " _Seeing as I have less experience with Tau'ri weapons despite your memories, would you like to prepare us to search the ship_?"

" _My head is still processing everything_ ," Madison responded. " _I'll guide you through what gear to grab_."

" _Very well_ ," Dayana accepted. " _What should we begin with_?"

" _First we'll need a vest. Grab one of the ones with the large, horizontal pouches on the end of the 2nd rack_ ," Madison directed. Dayana moved over to where the vests were hung and selected one that fitted Madison's description.

" _What next_?" She asked as she put on the vest.

" _Web belt and holster. They are off to the right_ ," Madison said. Dayana stepped over and selected one. " _Thread it though the loops on the bottom of the vest then secure the thigh straps around our right leg. It sounds weird saying that_."

" _You will become used to it_ ," Dayana assured her host as she donned the belt.

" _I hope so_ ," Madison whispered. " _Ok, weapons time. Open one of the smaller cases that are stacked under the vests. They have sidearms in them_."

" _Zat'nik'tels_?" Dayana asked.

" _Sorry. I'm not actually sure if this ship has any_ ," Madison apologised as Dayana opened the case. " _And I don't think we should take the time to search for them right now. The case has Beretta 90-Twos. Take one_."

" _You do not know what the ship carries_?" Dayana asked before she was able to access Madison's memories for an answer. Cora and her had been together for long enough that their memories had almost become one. She and Madison did not have that kind of relationship at the moment.

" _Not my ship. I was just a passenger en route to my duty assignment_ ," Madison replied. " _But you already knew that_."

" _It takes a moment to access the memories of the host, much the same as it takes a moment for you to access mine_ ," Dayana explained. " _It is also politer to ask than to take_."

" _True_ ," Madison conceded. " _Thank you_."

" _You are welcome, Madison_ ," Dayana said, using her host's name to illustrate that they were still two individuals even though they now shared one body. " _Now what_?"

" _Take a full clip from the box above and load the Beretta. Use my memories as a guide. After that, holster it and put a spare clip into the pouch on the front of the holster_ ," Madison instructed. Once Dayana had completed that task, Madison continued. " _Ok, on the rack to our left are a selection of weapons. We want a HK MP5A5 with vertical forward grip and light_."

" _That is not the normal weapon that the Tau'ri use when travelling though the stargate_ ," Dayana noticed once she had moved over to the rack.

" _No, it's not. But even though I qualified with the P90, I have never found it comfortable to use_ ," Madison related. " _I much prefer the MP5_."

" _Interesting. The only weapon I have ever used has been a Zat'nik'tel; and even then, sparingly,_ " Dayana related. " _I have never considered whether the weapon was comfortable to use or not_."

" _Then this may be an interesting opportunity for you_ ," Madison said. " _Wait, before you pick up MP5, underneath the rack is a thigh rig that holds three magazines. Put that on our left thigh_."

" _Spare ammunition in case of trouble_ ," Dayana observed, doing as she was instructed. " _A prudent precaution_."

" _Well, who knows what we are going to discover. Too much is not making any sense_ ," Madison said.

" _I agree_ ," Dayana said, taking the previously chosen MP5 off the rack and checking the magazine to ensure it was full. " _Shall we begin?_ " Dayana asked as she slapped the cocking lever down just as Madison's memories showed her.

" _Lets_ ," Madison responded.

" _We'll start from the top_ ," Dayana said.

" _The bridge is on its own deck_ ," Madison described. " _We can access it by the stairs from Deck 1_."

" _Stairs_?" Dayana asked in surprise. " _You put stairs in a warship_?"

" _There is a lift as well but that requires power. Obviously_ ," Madison said. " _You haven't been up to the bridge have you_?"

" _Neither Cora nor I saw the need_ ," Dayana replied as she made her way out of the armoury. " _All we would see is hyperspace_."

" _Well that is a hard argument to beat_ ," Madison noted. " _Speaking of hyperspace, where do you guess we are_?"

" _From our ETA and the amount of time we had been in hyperspace; I would estimate that we had entered the outskirts of the Pegasus Galaxy_ ," Dayana calculated. " _For some reason we dropped from hyperspace and then we lost main power almost immediately after_."

" _You think we had an engineering problem? A reactor overload or something_?" Madison wondered.

" _It is possible_ ," Dayana agreed. " _But my instincts are telling me there is more to it than that. Something doesn't sit right with how the situation unfolded_."

" _Like what_?" Madison asked, a passenger in her own body as Dayana entered the ladder tube.

" _I am not sure as yet. It is only what my instincts are telling me_ ," Dayana replied as she slung the MP5 over her shoulder and began to climb. Madison was actually surprised at the rate they were climbing. " _You are surprised_."

" _I've never been able to climb ladders this fast. Even without all this gear_ ," Madison announced. " _I assume you have something to do with this_."

" _You assume correctly_ ," Dayana affirmed, " _A symbiote increases the strength and vitality of their host; making them stronger, healing them from many ailments and injuries, and lengthening their lifespan_."

" _Really_?" Madison exclaimed. " _By how much_?"

" _The average human host will leave for about 200 years before old age takes its toll on the host. The symbiote must move to a new host or die as well. This can be lengthened with the use of a sarcophagus but Tok'ra do not use them as the negative side effects are undesirable_ ," Dayana explained. " _So you see, we will have many years together if all goes well_."

" _Yeah, I guess we'll see how that works out as we go along_ ," Madison said as Dayana exited the ladder tube onto Deck 1. " _Alright, the stairs shouldn't be far down the passageway to our left_."

" _No signs of life yet_ ," Dayana noted as she cautiously moved along, her weapon raised and light shining left and right. " _No signs of damage either_."

" _Perhaps it was just an engineering problem_ ," Madison proposed. " _There are the stairs_."

" _They appear to be as intact as the rest of the ship that we have seen_ ," Dayana pointed out as she began to climb them. " _The main door to the bridge is open_."

" _Was probably open when the ship lost main power_ ," Madison said. " _The battery backups wouldn't engage unless there was a loss of atmosphere or someone hit the override next to the door_."

" _Either is helpful to us_ ," Dayana accepted as she reached the top of the stairs and got her first view of the bridge. Or more accurately, out of the forward viewport. " _That, is going to complicate things_."

" _Oh shit_ ," Madison exclaimed as she saw the water on the other side of the window.


	3. Madison II

**Stargate FanFic**

 **Paths of Survival**

 **Madison II**

They were so screwed. The ship was underwater. A lot of water. They were so, so screwed.

" _Stop panicking_ ," Dayana commanded, bringing Madison up short. " _We are not screwed, as you put it_."

"How are we are not screwed?" Madison questioned, not even realising she is speaking out loud. "We are underwater."

" _Which we can clearly and easily see light through, so we should not be very deep_ ," Dayana pointed out. " _Also, the ship is tilted, remember. If I am remembering the ship's dimensions and layout correctly, then with the angle of the ship, the very rear of it should be exposed to the air_ _. I believe there is an airlock there_."

"Well that is great news," Madison said excitedly. "We aren't going to drown to death."

" _If I am remembering correctly_ ," Dayana reiterated. " _We will need to confirm it but I am confident_."

"Then I will try to be," Madison stated. "Do you think that we can do anything else from the bridge?"

" _Not without power. And there is not enough clarity to the water from here to see much_ ," Dayana reasoned. " _We should begin our search of Deck 1_."

"Right then," Madison said, turning to exit the bridge; an action which brought her up short. "Huh, I moved me."

" _I was curious as to when you would realise that you were back in control_ ," Dayana remarked.

"It feels weird after not moving me to again be moving me," Madison observed. "And that probably made no sense whatsoever."

" _I understand what you are trying to say though_ ," Dayana said. " _It is the adjustment to becoming a host. The ceding of control and the return to it. Cora had the same feelings when we first joined_."

"You miss her," Madison commented.

" _Though we were only together for a comparatively short time, as you know, we experienced much together_ ," Dayana said. " _Yes, I do miss her_."

"She will always be with us," Madison reminded Dayana.

" _Yes, she will_ ," Dayana agreed. " _And we should stop procrastinating. We have a lot of work ahead of us_."

"Let's get to it then," Madison said, hefting her MP5 and walking off the Bridge. She headed towards the rear of the ship, grateful that the emergency lights were still active, though neither she nor Dayana knew how long that would remain so.

" _So why were you going to the Pegasus Galaxy_?" Dayana asked as Madison began searching Deck 1.

"Seriously?" Madison exclaimed. "You want to talk about that?"

" _Until we complete our search of the ship, speaking about what happened is only speculation_ ," Dayana said. " _I would prefer to get to know my host a little better instead_."

"Right," Madison said, slightly abashed. "Uh, the IOA is looking into expanding the size of the colony on Zafara."

" _I have heard of this planet_ ," Dayana announced. " _It is the location of the settlement, Camp Weir_."

"That's the one. Currently it has a platoon of Marines stationed there on a permanent basis and they get additional help from Atlantis' contingent of Marines to bolster their security," Madison explained. "Anyway, Homeworld Command were sending me to Zafara to prepare it for the arrival of more Marines. They are going to station a full company there, freeing up Atlantis' Marines."

" _That sounds like a significant investment in resources_ ," Dayana observed. " _How is it your world has not discovered the existence of the Stargate and everything beyond it_?"

"I have asked myself that same question multiple times since finding out about all of it myself," Madison sympathised. "How do you keep something so big, so amazing, a complete secret? And should you?"

" _Your leaders believe they should_ ," Dayana stated.

"And leaders are always right," Madison imitated. "Or so they say."

" _Or so they say_ ," Dayana repeated. " _It appears that the forward section of Deck 1 is clear_."

"Agreed. A lot of stuff we might be able to use but nothing of immediate use," Madison concurred. "Let's head aft and see about that airlock."

" _Do not become too excited_ ," Dayana cautioned. " _We need to complete our search of the ship before we can move outside_."

"I know," Madison acknowledged. "I just really want to know that we are not stuck inside this ship."

" _We will discover that soon enough_ ," Dayana said, noticing something as she looked through Madison's eyes. " _What is that room_?"

"Secondary Armoury," Madison answered. "The ship has three armouries. The main one on Deck 2 and a pair of secondaries located on Decks 1 and 3."

" _We should investigate it for signs that there are survivors still aboard_ ," Dayana suggested. " _A vessel of this size could quickly become something of a maze if there are only one or two spread out_."

"Good idea," Madison complimented as she approached the closed door. Pushing it, she found the door closed but trying the handle revealed that the armoury was unlocked. "Looks like the door locks disengaged just like with the main armoury."

" _I believe that it would be a form of security feature_ ," Dayana surmised. " _In the event that the ship is disabled by an enemy, it would still allow the crew access to weapons to fend off a boarding party_."

"Probably right," Madison said as she raised her weapon before opening the door. As it swung open, she entered and cleared the room from one side to the other. There was no one inside. "We're clear."

" _Have any weapons been taken_?" Dayana asked. " _I could not complete my assessment as you entered_."

"If anyone else had woken up aboard ship same as us, I'd like to think that they would head to either an armoury or the sickbay straight away," Madison commented as she walked around the small room, checking all the racks and shelves for missing weapons or signs that anything had been recently opened. "Nothing. Everything is as it should be. Thank god for sealed storage cages."

" _Indeed_ ," Dayana agreed. " _Your people seemed to place greater emphasis on ensuring your weapons will not be strewn about rather than on your medical supplies_."

"Hey, I didn't design the ships," Madison defended herself, even if she agreed with what Dayana had said.

" _Madison, I can hear your thoughts. I know you agree with me_ ," Dayana stated.

"No fair," Madison shot back to the sounds of laughter in her head. Looking around the room again, Madison noticed something odd sitting on one of the racks.

" _I don't recognise that weapon_ ," Dayana said as Madison moved over in front of the rack.

"Neither do I. It's an AR-style weapon but the top is all recessed out," Madison explained as she looked around for the log sheet. Finding it on the floor under a rack, she picked it up and went through the contents of the armoury. "Huh, AR-57. I've heard of them but never seen one."

" _They are interesting_?" Dayana questioned.

"I thought you could read my mind?" Madison asked.

" _I can, but then we would only have a one-sided conversation_ ," Dayana explained. " _Tell me of these weapons_."

"They are basically a modification to a common weapon design that allows it to fire different ammunition," Madison said. "In this case, they fire the same rounds as the FN P90."

" _The standard weapon of the Tau'ri_ ," Dayana indentified.

"For the most part," Madison agreed. "As I said earlier, I was never comfortable using a P90. I much prefer the MP5 for CQ work like searching the ship. But if I was a forced to choose a weapon for all occasions, then the M4A1is my choice."

" _Due to your training as a Marine_?" Dayana surmised.

"Partially," Madison confirmed. "But also because I have been shooting AR-15 style weapons since I was 15. So I am really comfortable with them."

" _Why so young_?" Dayana asked.

"I told my father that I was going to be a marine, like my grandfather," Madison revealed. "He said that if I was going to be a marine, then I needed to learn how to shoot. We started the next day."

" _Should we change weapons now then_?" Dayana quizzed, her thought tinged with amusement.

"No reason to," Madison responded. "The MP5 will do fine for searching the ship."

" _But later_?" Dayana wondered.

"But later, if and when we go outside to look around and that; then I'll probably be coming back here to grab one of the AR-57s," Madison said.

" _Not an M4A1_?" Dayana questioned.

"The M4A1 is great but the AR-57, with its P90 magazines will hold 50 rounds compared to the M4's 30," Madison explained. "I'll take the additional rounds."

" _I see your point_ _. And if we are here long, we may need to consolidate the locations of the ship's weapons_ ," Dayana advised. " _I am uncomfortable leaving a collection of them near the only point of access that we know of so far_."

"Something to consider," Madison agreed. "Let's find that airlock first though."

" _Indeed_ ," Dayana said. " _We have other priorities at the moment._ "

The two of them made their way aft, continuing to quickly search each room they passed, just in case. Finally reaching the end of the deck, they stood before inner doors of the airlock, looking out at the wall of rock beyond.

"Well that is not what I was expecting," Madison deadpanned.

" _And what were you expecting_?" Dayana quipped. " _Clear blue skies and a rescue jumper_?"

"Maybe not the jumper; though it would be nice," Madison shot back. "But the blue sky and maybe a cloud or two would work wonders for my moral right about now."

" _Mine as well_ ," Dayana agreed morosely. " _Environmental readings_?"

"Ah, let me check," Madison said as she moved to a computer panel next to the doors. "Ok, so, it has power but it looks like that is on battery backups. Which is good news. Bad news, I have no idea where the batteries are located or if I can somehow recharge them. And the panel says that the batteries are already down to 94%."

" _And it says that the atmosphere outside is breathable. UV radiation levels are a little high but I can heal sunburn without effort_ ," Dayana continued. " _Gravity is 0.86 Earth norm which accounts for the spring in our steps_."

"I thought it was just the strength increase from your implantation," Madison said.

" _It is to a degree but it will take some time for the full effects to become evident_ ," Dayana explained.

"Good to know," Madison noted. "The UV levels could be annoying for any survivors but hopefully they realise that they need to take shelter during the day. But we really need to find a way to conserve what little power we have. Disabling the emergency lights should help a lot."

" _I agree_ ," Dayana said. " _As much I would like to discover what is beyond these doors, we need to complete our search of the ship and find a way to conserve what battery power we have_."

"Killjoy," Madison cracked. "But once again you are right. And I get the feeling that that will become a recurring theme in our relationship."

" _I believe we should determine a better word for what we have_ ," Dayana said calmly. " _We would not want to have you become confused about how you feel about me_."

"Did you just make a joke?" Madison asked in surprise.

" _I do not know what you mean_ ," Dayana remarked innocently. " _Besides, I merely have more experience to draw upon to inform my decisions_ ," Dayana stated after a moment's pause. " _Even if that experience does not pertain to dealing with a crashed ship_."

"Did you just make another joke?" Madison wondered.

" _Again, I do not know what you mean_ ," Dayana replied with equal innocence.

"Hmm," Madison intoned as she hefted her MP5. "Why does it feel like I'm being punked."


End file.
